By Seneca Knight
My journey to San Jose State University started one April 2018 day, around noon. I was playing Fortnite.
Out of the blue I received a call from an unknown number. I picked up the phone and he introduced himself as Jean Prioleau, head coach of San Jose State’s men’s basketball team.
I didn’t know anything about San Jose State University.
I dropped my controller in the middle of the match to start doing some research while I was still on the phone. That game, I came in like 70th place, and I’m a pretty good Fortnite player if you ask me.
While I talked to coach Prioleau, he asked to speak with my parents. As the conversation went on, he offered me a visit to come up to San Jose the first weekend of May.
But before we continue, you have to understand how I got to this point. Where I’m from, not too many make it out. As cliche as it sounds, it’s true.
Hoop sessions at the park up the street from grand-mommies’ house used to be cut short. The older guys looked out for me and would tell me to go home. It wasn’t safe.
At my young age, they knew I was special and didn’t want to jeopardize my future.
So where am I from? The Northside of Lafayette, Louisiana and the 8th Ward of New Orleans — where all we got is the grind it out mentality and hope.
At a young age I learned how to deal with adversity. Hurricane Katrina hit and wiped out the whole city. My grandma’s house, my cousin’s house, Six Flags and whatever else you can think of.
To this day my city is still suffering from the damage Katrina caused. I was living in Jonesboro, Arkansas when Katrina hit and my family from New Orleans moved in with us — my grandmother, uncles, cousins and great aunt. I lived in Jonesboro until I was 12 when we moved back to New Orleans.
Going into seventh grade was tough. Even though I was moving back home, I had to leave my best friends behind and start a new school.
I had a difficult time making friends and bounced from one school to the next. Every time I would meet someone, in my head they wouldn’t be like my old friends back in Arkansas.
That’s when I got to the point of realizing basketball, my dog Lucky and my cousin Jahlil, who’s been my brother since birth separated only by three months, were all that I constantly had besides my parents of course. So I started focusing on basketball and only basketball.
Between 8th and 9th grade, I fell into a depression. I was dwelling on how things would have been if I was still in Arkansas.
This lasted until my parents enrolled me into Chalmette High School the second semester of freshman year. In two short years there, I developed a lifelong bond with Tyler, Dai and Nylah. They had my back and supported me like no other. They helped me become content with living in Chalmette, Louisiana and made me feel accepted for the first time in a long time.
I wasn’t able to play basketball my freshman year because I transferred from another school. My sophomore year, I was eager to get back on the court.
As a sophomore, I was on varsity, but played on the JV squad for rehabilitation purposes after pulling my hamstring early in the season.
That year, I was able to go up against some of the best talent that New Orleans had to offer. It helped me prepare for the next chapter of my life — Lafayette, Louisiana.
I moved to Lafayette the summer before my junior year because my dad got a job there. I attended Northside High School, home of the Vikings.
Living on the Northside is not easy. You constantly have to watch your surroundings and be cautious. Not everyone’s your friend or has your best interest in mind.
I was fortunate. I had people who looked out for me and had my back, knowing I had a great future ahead of me.
My junior year I was the new guy coming in. I believed I could play with the best of them and not everyone on the team was sold on that. Because of this, my teammates and I had a couple of issues in the beginning of that season.
Until Thanksgiving break.
I remember it like it was yesterday. My dad and I were leaving Sam’s Club and were headed to get gas.
A sudden text came across my phone. My teammate Cam was in the hospital. None of us in the group chat believed it. Of all the people, you’re telling me Cam’s in the hospital? Cam’s one of the most energetic, entertaining and friendliest people you ever met.
Come to find out, it was true. Earlier that day, Cam was leaving the barbershop, walking back to his car when two people who attended our school struck him over his head with a metal pipe, beating him repeatedly. I told my dad when he got back in the car from pumping gas and we made our way to the hospital.
The whole team, coaches included, sat in the waiting room late into the night to see if he would pull through.
After many brain surgeries, he eventually pulled through. But sadly he was permanently brain damaged.
Once the team started practicing again, Eric, a senior and one of mine and Cam’s closest friends, started writing #CamWay on our shoes.
We knew Cam would never be able to play or even be remotely himself again. So my whole junior season was dedicated to him. That year, I went on to make 2nd team all-district.
Entering my senior year, I was on a mission to make first-team everything.
At this point I had the whole Northside community behind me. All I had to do was prove them right for believing in me.
I also created some great life long friends in Mason, Chance, Terrin, and Chris. They are always in my corner. Every time I come home it’s a must that we link, hangout and bond. They help me not feel basic and it’s bigger than basketball with them.
We strive and push each other to be the best people we can possibly be while obtaining and reaching our goals. At the end of the day, just like every-other teenager in the world, we laugh, joke and hang out around the city.
We hear so much negativity about our school & the Northside of town that we just want to shed positive light on the younger generation coming behind us that anything is possible.
My senior year I let all the odds and adversity I had stacked against me fuel and propel me to work harder than I ever worked before.
My dad and I always worked out together, but my senior year we took it to the extreme. It wasn’t until I was suspended for our third game of the season, against the team I was looking forward to playing the most, that everything clicked.
I went on to have four 30-plus point games in the months of December and January and that season I averaged 25 points per game and became one of few people to reach 1000 points at Northside.
That year my dad and I basically lived in the gym. We’d stay in the gym hours after practice getting shots up. Regardless of whether I had a good or bad game, my dad, my mom, and I would go back to the gym that same night regardless of what time it was to get in extra work.
My dad made many sacrifices for me to reach my goals and we started to see the progress. Every game I played in, our crowd grew bigger and bigger. It got to the point where some games were standing room only.
My dad was not the only one to make sacrifices though. My mom drove a two hour drive from New Orleans and a two hour drive back just to attend my games.
Her support was unmatched and very appreciated because it showed she was as committed to me accomplishing my goals as I was.
Even after everything I accomplished, I still didn’t make the Louisiana All-Star game, which motivated me even more right before playoff time.
I led our team to the third round of the playoffs, which was the furthest my high school coach ever went.
That third-round game against Woodlawn-Shreveport, I had 32 points and fouled out with six minutes left in the fourth quarter. At that point we were up by six points but we ended up losing the game by 4.
That year I made 1st team everything — 1st team All-State, All-District, and All-Acadian.
Surprisingly after everything I accomplished, I did not receive a single DI scholarship offer.
Until I received that phone call from Coach Prioleau.
He invited my parents and I on a visit the first weekend of May. At that moment, I was so thankful that my mom always challenged me to dedicate myself to school just as much as basketball. She always told me I would not be able to go to any school if I didn’t have the grades.
I’m glad I had all of my schooling under control so leading up to my visit the coaches at San Jose State would not have to worry about that. I ended my senior year with a 3.3 GPA and graduated with all-honors and as a member of Mu Alpha Theta Mathematics Honor Society.
When we finally went on my visit, they had us staying on Santana Row, which is one of the nicest parts in San Jose.
From there I just fell in love with the place. It was very different from what I was
accustomed to, and with that being my only DI offer my parents decided I should sign on the spot.
Twenty days after signing my National Letter of Intent, I was packed up and back on my way to San Jose to start summer workouts.
In July 2018, about a month after moving to San Jose, I woke up earlier than usual one morning and was scrolling on Instagram. That’s when I saw the news that my close friend Eric was killed while hanging out the previous night.
From there, I made sure everything I did and every time I stepped out on the court was dedicated to him.
That’s why you may see #RipEric written on my shoes, because I don’t play a game without him.
I’ve been doubted my whole life and nobody ever thought I was good enough, but I want to thank Marie Tuite, Blake Sasaki, coach Jean Prioleau and the coaching staff, and the fans who always attend our games for believing in me and supporting me. Y’all are the ones that make me want to stay. Y’all gave me a chance when nobody else did, therefore I am so committed to doing something here that has never been done before.
I want to continue proving the people who believe in me right and showing people anything is possible no matter where you’re from. It just takes hard work, commitment and dedication.
SJSU gave me a platform where I could express myself and my game. I am excited for all I have accomplished, but I am not satisfied by any means.
I know my story is still being written. This is just the beginning.
Sincerely,
Seneca Knight
P.S. Thank You San Jose
